Kaleidoscope Grief Center
Serving Children & Families

 


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Who We Are...

 

What IS Kaleidoscope Grief Center?

  • Arkansas’ only grief center serving children and their families.

  • Arkansas’ only center that focuses exclusively on the process of healing through the grief journey.

 

What does Kaleidoscope Grief Center do?

 We promote the process of healing through serving critically ill and grieving children, teens and their families.

 

How do you “serve” these families?

                With our Kaleidoscope of Caring Services:

      • Twice monthly Peer Support Bereavement Groups for ages 5-adult.

      • Arkansas’ only grief camp, Camp Healing Hearts, for the entire family.

      • Individual and/or family grief and bereavement counseling w/ licensed professionals.

      • Kaleidoscope Kids Club social events for children 5-18.

      • Supportive Care for the critically ill child aged birth -18 provides compassionate emotional support for the family.

 

What’s so important about grief work?

  • So many children (1.2 million nationally) will lose a parent by age 15 and many more will lose siblings, other relatives, caregivers, and close friends.  These profound losses affect daily lives, academic and social functioning, and growth toward adulthood.

  • Children who have experienced these profound losses are more often depressed, angry, distracted in school, and feel alienated from peers.  They display more academic and behavior problems.

  • Research shows that the death of a parent may be THE most traumatic single event to affect the well-being and health of a developing child and adult depression, schizophrenia, drug problems and alcohol use may be linked to childhood bereavement.

 

What makes Kaleidoscope Grief Center different?

  • We work exclusively with grief and bereavement issues in the family.

  • We are nonprofit.

  • We provide services regardless of any family’s ability to pay.

 

How are you funded?

  • As a nonprofit, we rely on private and corporate community support, donations, and contributions.  We receive no government subsidies or financial support.

  • Fundraisers:  Annual Auction.  Have-A-Heart Sunday.

  • Kaleidoscope Resale Shop.  All purchases benefit Kaleidoscope and our programs.

 

What can I do to help?

                Donate your TIME:  Volunteering:

      • Peer Support Bereavement Group Facilitators and/or Helpers

      • Camp Healing Hearts Facilitators and/or Helpers

      • General office / clerical assistance

      • Help with Fundraisers

      • Publicity / Marketing

      • Kaleidoscope Kids Club chaperones and/or helpers

      • Board Membership

 

                Make a Tax-Deductible Contribution or Donation:

                     Monetary:

      • As a memorial

      • Sponsor a family / child opportunities

                        Peer Support Bereavement Group, $69 per person/month

                        Peer Support Bereavement Group, $207 per family/mo.

                        Camp Healing Hearts, $71 per person

      • Program Sponsorship

      • 80% of every donation dollar goes directly to program support

                     Other:

      • Items for our Auction

      • Gently used items for Kaleidoscope Resale Boutique

      • Supplies for Programs and/ or Events

      • Office Supplies

      • Shopping at Kaleidoscope Resale Boutique

 

What are Peer Support Bereavement Groups?

  • Held twice monthly in our offices, these concurrent sessions for children and adults help families realize that their reactions and feelings of grief are normal and are actually an expression of healing.

  • Although facilitated by clinical staff and trained volunteers, these groups are not clinical therapeutic sessions, but true peer support and mutual aid where kids are helping kids and parents are helping parents.

  • Activities vary by age range but include writing a goodbye letter to the deceased and placing it in a helium balloon and releasing it… thereby literally and figuratively “letting go”.

 

How does that help?

                Peer Support Bereavement Groups help children and families:

      • Explore and cope with their feelings around death

      • Realize that grief is a process, not an event

      • Express conflicted emotions surrounding death in an atmosphere of compassion and support

      • Feel understood and gain a sense of normalcy

      • Understand that they are not to blame for the death

      • Not suffer alone

      • Rejoin a community of peers

      • Regain a sense of control over their lives

 

What is Camp Healing Hearts?

  • Arkansas’ first and only grief camp for children and their families.  We offer therapeutic and recreational activities designed to help families reflect on their experiences, reconnect with each other, and rediscover hope for the future.

  • Developed and facilitated by a growing community coalition of experts in the grief field.

  • Incorporates Peer Support Bereavement Groups

  • Recreational activities include Ropes Courses, Fishing, Arts & Crafts

 

                For 2008 it will be held May 16-May17 at the newly renovated Camp Aldersgate.

History of Kaleidoscope Grief Center!

Our Board of Directors:

2008-2009 Officers of the Corporation

VICE-PRESIDENT
David Deere, LCSW, M.Th.
Associate Director, Partners for Inclusive Communities, UAMS
PhD Candidate, Health Services Research
Co-Founder, Arkansas Homeless Coalition
Advisory Board, Center for Effective Parenting
Board Member Since 2006

TREASURER
Jim Gates
Exec. Board member, Colony West POA
CFO at PDC, Inc and Uniforce Electronic
Retired - Board Member Since 2002

 

 

SECRETARY
Cristin Chase Mammarelli
Cristin Chase Mammarelli is currently a stay-at-home mother of two, a  freelance writer and a volunteer advocate for Kaleidoscope Grief Center, as well as for fundraising events for the ALS Clinic & Research Center at UAMS, promoting awareness and funds for Lou Gehrig’s Disease in Arkansas. In the past  she has worked full-time for many non-profit organizations in public relations and marketing roles.

 

2008-2009 Board of Directors

 Larry Bencick


Senior Financial Analyst, Alltel Communications
Certified Public Accountant

BS - Accounting - University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Member:American Institute of CPA, Arkansas Society of CPA
Board Member Since 2008

Shannon Collier-Tenison,  PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Social Work
Investigator and Needs Assessors of various community programs to include Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Arlington, TX, crisis intervention for survivors of domestic violence, and many others.
Board Member Since 2006

 

 

Gibson Garrett
Research Analyst, UAMS

Managed Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute's Cancer Education Center

Data Analysis for Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson

Member:  P.E.O., Little Rock Chi Omega Alumnae
Board Member Since 2008

Fant Jarrett
National Service Manager for Xerox Corp-Retired
Vice Chair., Central AR Salvation Army Adv Board
Volunteer, Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Rotary Club-Member
Scottish Rite Mason, Masonic Lodge #508
Scimitar Shiner-Member
Board Member Since 2006

 

 

Kathleen A. Kennally
Director of Operations, MailSouth, Inc.
Founder of the Sassy Chic Show, an art and craft show.
 Formerly on the board of directors for the Memphis Advertising Federation and hosted the “Call for Entries” for the Addy Awards.  Co-author of the Simply Sin’sational Cookbook. Received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Kentucky.  Board Member Since 2007.

Nikki Robertson
Twin City Bank - Branch Manager, Heights
Community Organization Involvement:  Miracle League, Susan G. Komen, Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers / Big Sisters, and more.
Board Member Since 2008

   

Theresa Travis, MD
Co-Founder of Kaleidoscope of Caring, Inc
Co-Owner of Hospice Home Care, Inc
Executive Medical Director for Hospice Home Care, Inc
Specialist in Palliative Care & Pain Management
Board Member Since 1996

Ruth Tyson, ABR, CRS, GRI
Executive Broker, Coldwell Banker Realty
Active in local church
Treasurer for Arkansas Chapter of Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
21 years experience in Real Estate
Board Member Since 2006

   

 Kim Willse
Exec. Board member, Hospice Home Care Foundation, Inc
Payroll and other functions at Hospice Home Care, Inc.
Board Member Since 2006

 
 

 

   

Our Staff:

Executive Director
Joan Gates
Service Director, ALLTEL Comm., Inc-Retired
Previous Board member, Kaleidoscope Kids (2002-2004)
Employee since 2004

Program Coordinator
Janet Breen, M.Ed, LAC

1997 grad., Purdue University, M.Ed.- Community Counseling
1982 grad., Augustana College- B.A.
Licensed Associate Counselor since 2002Life After Loss Grief Facilitator since 2001
Employee since 1997

 

 

Clinical Coordinator/Therapist
Gigi Peters, LMSW

2005 Graduate of University of Arkansas at Little Rock- Social Work
1984 Graduate of University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Licensed Master of Social Work
Employee since 2007

Administrative Assistant (Part-time)
Irene Griffeth
Service Manager, ALLTEL Comm., Inc – Retired
Previous Volunteer , Kaleidoscope Kids (2003-2006)
Employee since
2006

 

 

Resale Boutique Manager (Part-time)
Marcella Jones
Previous Board member, Kaleidoscope Kids (2000-2005)
Employee since 2005

 Resale Boutique Sales Associate
Margaret Jenkins
Employee since 2001

Resale Boutique Manager (Part-time)
Kevin Carson
Employee since 2008

Kaleidoscope Grief Center
1501 North University Ave., Suite 680
Little Rock, AR 72207
Phone: (501) 978-5437 / Toll Free (877) 357-5437    Fax: (501) 537-2718
To email us click here

Volunteers please call: (501) 978-5437
We want and need your help!

 


Kaleidoscope Resale Boutique

provides financial support for Kaleidoscope Grief Center's programs and services.

Located at 3608 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, AR. 72205
Call 501-975-6666 for information on how to donate items.